Just across a narrow channel to the west
of Bartolome lies Sullivan Bay and the island
of Santiago. This landing offers one of the more astounding
volcanic sites in the Galapagos. Just over
a century ago, the island gave birth to a
field of lava called pahoehoe ("rope-like" in Hawaiian),
which gleams like a gigantic obsidian sculpture.
It is stirring to imagine the once-molten
lava lighting up the earth, flowing into
the sea and sending plumes of superheated
steam skyrocketing into the air. The flow
gave birth to new land as it engulfed vegetation, leaving
some plants forever etched into the earth.
Today the flow stands as a gallery of abstract
shapes resembling braids, curtains and swirling
fans. Brightly colored "painted locusts"
and "lava lizards" punctuate the
black volcanic canvas, as does the occasional
finger of lava cactus and spreading carpetweed.
Looking back across the bay from a source
of the flow, a cinder cone of reddish hues,
stands a skyscraper-like view of Pinnacle
Rock.

On the northwestern side of the island is
South James Bay (Puerto Egas), which offers
access to three unique sites. One landing
is on a black beach with intriguing eroded
rock formations inland. A trail crosses the
dry interior eastward and rises to the rim
of an extinct volcanic crater; cracks within
it allow sea water to seep in, which then
dries to form salt deposits that have been
mined in the past. Darwin describes his visit
to South James Bay in Voyage of the Beagle.

Another path leads south, where we see a
series of crystal-clear grottos formed of
broken lava tubes. These are home to sea
lions and tropical fish, and are the only
place in the islands where fur seals can
be seen. Further to the north, another landing and path lead to a series of inland
lagoons, home to flamingos. Birders coming
to James Bay can spot vermillion flycatchers,
Galapagos hawks and the tool-wielding woodpecker
finch. Puerto Egas is a good spot for taking
pictures—the light for photography
is perfect at either dawn or sunset. The
lava and the black sand seem to catch fire
and the animals acquire a surreal and lovely
quality.